The Army Cadet Force Association (ACFA) is delighted to have received a £2,500 gift from The Patron’s Fund, which was set up to support the work of the charitable organisations for which Her Majesty The Queen acts as a Patron, on the occasion of her 90th birthday.

Around £750,000 was available from the Fund to distribute to almost 300 charities and organisations across the UK and the Commonwealth. As well as proceeds from the Patron’s Lunch, the event which took place last June as part of The Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations, the Fund received generous donations from a range of supporters; including individual donors, businesses, schools and community groups.

The ACFA will use the gift to help develop a ‘Friends of the ACFA’ scheme, which is intended to provide funds for less privileged cadets and give them the opportunity to take part in activities such as training courses and overseas expeditions.

Richard Walton, Director of Finance, Operations and Training at the ACFA, said “we are proud to have The Queen as our Patron and this generous gift from the Patron’s Fund will help us to support the ACFA’s goal of developing young people and giving them a strong start in life.”

Sir Stuart Etherington, Chair of The Board of Trustees for The Patron’s Fund, added: “The Patron’s Fund is very pleased to be able to support the Army Cadet Force Association with its valuable work. The ACFA is among hundreds of organisations for which The Queen acts as a Patron, which between them make a difference to causes and communities in the UK and throughout the Commonwealth.”

To find out more and apply for an ACFA grant, or if you're thinking about joining the Friends of the ACFA scheme and would like to see how your donations can help, please visit the ACFA Grants page.